Water-bicycle.



H. MUNSEN.

WATER BICYCLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2. 19112.

Patented July 30, 1912.

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WATER BICYCLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAE. 2. 1912.

1,034,278. Patnted July 30, 1912,

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COLUMBIA PLANdGRAl-H 00 WASFUNOTON, D. L2.

H. MUNSEN.

WATER BICYCLE.

APPLICATION PILE D MAR. 2. 1912 w Wm w a 3H 0 Wu 2: Wm 5 a U1 6 B 5 6 7 r m w 07 m a MC W 4% 6 m C H v um w I F "W m a i 1 w JJ 0 w aw, J 6 0/ f w 7% m J M r F WMMMQM HENRY MUNSEN, 0F FORSYTH, MONTANA.

WATER-BICYCLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. March 2, 1912. Serial No. 681,094.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY MUNSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Forsyth, in the county of Rosebud and State of Montana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tater-Bicycles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bicycles and the object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which can travel on both land and water, and with these and other objects in view which will appear as the description progresses, the invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention, the float members being also shown in dotted lines in the position they are adapted to occupy when the device is employed upon land. Fig. 2 is a front View of the device. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken through the line 4% of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view upon the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the bicycle. This bicycle l is constructed in the ordinary manner comprising the front or steering wheel 2, the rear or propelllng wheel 3 and the usual frame 4- connecting the said wheels. The frame 4: is, of course, provided with a seat 5 and handle guiding bars 6 which are connected with the steering post are supported upon the front forks of the frame.

The numerals 7 designate the front floats of the device. These floats preferably comprise metallic drums each being closed upon all of their sides, and each preferably circular in cross section. The metal from which the floats are formed is bent and has its lower edges depending to provide what head 12 of a T-shaped central board 13. This central board 13 extends the entire longitudinal length of the floats 7, and arranged between the bands 9 are collars 1 1 and 15. Each of these collars is formed with a pair of spaced lips and between each of the pairs of lips is pivotally connected one of the inclined arms of the float supports 16. These supports 16 at their apex or point of juncture are formed withsuitable openings, the latter being adapted for the reception of bolts 17 which engage suitable openings provided within the front axles. The floats are arranged at a suitable distance away from each side of the bicycle frame, as clearly illustrated in the drawings, and in order to sustain the same when the device is employed upon water as well as to lock the said floats to the positions indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings when the device is employed on.

land, I have employed suitable guy ropes or cables 19 and 20, when positioned adjacent the front of each of the floats and the other arranged adjacent the rear of the said floats and all the guys being connected through the medium of suitable loops to the handle bar 6. The rear guys 20 comprise a pair of elements one being formed with a ring 21, the second element being provided with a Patented July 30, 1912."

hook adapted to engage the ring. Both of the guys 19 and 20 have their lower extremities formed with helical springs 22 at their points of connection with the floats.

The points of juncture of the walls of each of the floats 7 are, as previously set forth, offset to provide what may be termed the rudders 8 and interposed between the said offset is a piece of suitable flexible material 23. The offsets are connected to the said member 28 through the medium of a plurality of rivets 24 and the front portion of each of the floats is formed with a nose 25 and arranged below the top of the float is an opening to which the helical spring of the guy member 19 is attached. The rear spring, that connected with the guy 20, is secured within a suitable eye 26, and arranged upon the upper face-of the float,

preferably adjacent the said eye 26, is a valve 27. This valve is normally self-closing and the same is adapted to be engaged by an ordinary air pump, such as those commonly employed for inflating bicycle tubes and whereby air may be admitted to the hermetically sealed floats when desired.

is provided with spaced cars 34, and adapted to be positioned between the said spaced ears are the bearings 35 adapted for the reception of the transversely arranged axle 36. The lower extremities of the bearings axle 36. This axle 36 preferably comprises three distinct members designated respec tively by the numerals 37, 38 and 39. The end members 37 and '39 rest within the bearings 35 and have their free ends riveted to what I term couplings 40. These couplings '40 are provided with a plurality of centrally arranged offset cup members 41, the latter adapted to receive the radially arranged spokes 42 of the driving wheels.

ments consisting of a pair of spaced wires or the like, if desired. The radial spokes 42 may be also reinforced in any deslred manj her, -'so that rigid wheels sufficient to overcome the resistance of the water may be provided. The central member 38 of the axle '36, is provided with a longitudinally adjustable wheel 44. This wheel 44 has its central portion formed with a collar 45, and

the said collar is provided with an opening,

adapted for the reception of a retaining screw 46, whereby the wheel is held in its adjusted position.

The transversely arranged spacing members 47, which correspond with the members 11, are centrally provided with a T-shaped central board 48, and the rear one of these spacing members is formed with a pair of frames designated respectively by the numerals 49 and 50. Each of theseframes is preferably constructed of wire having its lower portion, or that adapted to be positioned within the water and secured to the spacing member 47 reinforced and bent at an angle toward the upper portion of the device. The wire frames each comprise a pair of members, the lower portions of which being arranged in a spaced parallel plane with each other and are rounded to correspond with the peripheral contour of the paddles.

The frames are covered with some suitable material such as duck cloth or rubber or the like, to provide water guards 51, so that the operator of the device seated upon the bicycle will not be splashed when the device is in operation upon the water.

The numeral 52 designates the driving belt of the device. This belt 52 is constructed of some suitable flexible material and is of a width sufiicient to tightly engage the faces and sides of the rear bicycle wheel 3 and the wheel 44 secured to the axle 36. In order to sustain the belt tightly upon the said wheels I have provided the meeting ends of the belt with adjusting members 53 and 54. These members preferably comprise a pair of threaded elements having their central portions engaged by an oppo sitelv threaded nut or turnbuckle and the are twisted so as to allow the said bearings te -be arranged in a direct plane with the belt is centrally formed with a plurality of spaced openings 55, whereby water is free to drop therefrom during the operation of the device.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be noted that I have provided an extremely simple, comparatively cheap and light appliance for any ordinary bicycle whereby the said wheel may be free to travel over land or water as desired, and

; while I have illustrated and described the The extremities of the spokes 42 are each provided with paddles 4'3 and these paddles may be provided with peripheral reinforcepreferred embodiment of the invention as it now appears to me, minor changes in the details of construction, within the scope of the following claims may be made if desired.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, is

1. In a device for the purpose set forth, the combination with a bicycle having the ordinary running gear, a pair of floats, means for sustaining each pair of floats in spaced relation with each other, a center board secured to said sustaining means, a pivotal connection between each pair of floats with each of the bicycle axles, resilient guy members for sustaining the floats below the plane of the bicycle wheels and for sustaining the said floats above the plane of the bicycle wheels.

2. The combination with a bicycle of a pair of metallic air tight floats, each of said floats having their lower extremities formed with a depending center board, spaced bands around the floats, ears upon the bands, substantially V-shaped members connected with the ears, a pivotal connection between the said V-shaped members and the axles of the bicycle, and resilient guy members connecting the opposite ends of the float with the frame of the bicycle.

3. The combination with a bicycle, of a pair of metallic air tight floats arranged adjacent each of the sides of the bicycle, V- shaped supports connected with the axles of the bicycle and adapted to normally retain the floats below the plane of the wheels of the bicycle, resilient guys connecting the ends of the floats with the frame of the bicycle, spacing members for each of the opposite floats, a center board connected with the said spacing members, a shaft connected with the rear pair of floats, a longitudinally movable wheel upon the shaft, paddle wheels upon the shaft, and a belt connection between the rear wheel of the bicycle and the wheel of the shaft.

4. The combination with a bicycle, of a pair of floats arranged adjacent and normally below the front and rear wheels of the bicycle, a pivoted support (connecting the bicycle with each of the floats, guy members connecting the ends of the floats with the frame of the bicycle, bearing members upon the rear pair of floats, a shaft mounted within the bearings, hubs upon the shaft,

spokes upon the hubs, paddles connected with the floats, a wheel upon the shaft, a perforated belt connecting the said wheel with the rear wheel of the bicycle, means for adjusting the belt, a spacing bar for the floats, a rudder upon the spacing bar, a pair of spaced frames upon the spacing bar, and paddle guards connected with the frames.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY MUNSEN.

Witnesses:

J on F. BENTFOELD, L. A. LAMBERT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

